Table 1.
Univariate analysis of factors associated with argon plasma coagulation treatment failure for hemorrhagic chronic radiation proctitis.
| Variable | No. of failure/total patients | P-value |
| Distribution of telangiectasias | ||
| Distal rectum (within 10 cm from anal verge) | 7/31 | 0.1361 |
| Entire rectum +/− sigmoid (more than 10 cm from anal verge) | 7/14 | |
| Surface area covered by telangiectasias | ||
| Less than 50% | 2/19 | 0.0112 |
| More than 50% | 12/26 | |
| Presence of fresh blood | ||
| No | 3/16 | 0.3201 |
| Yes | 11/29 | |
| Ulceration | ||
| < 1 cm2 | 6/33 | 0.0061 |
| > 1 cm2 | 8/12 | |
| Gender | ||
| Female | 14/40 | 0.3053 |
| Male | 0/5 | |
| Hypertensive | ||
| No | 11/39 | 0.3563 |
| Yes | 3/6 | |
| Diabetic | ||
| No | 11/40 | 0.1663 |
| Yes | 3/5 | |
| Abdominal surgery | ||
| No | 11/33 | 0.8651 |
| Yes | 3/12 | |
| Acute radiation injury | ||
| No | 14/39 | 0.1563 |
| Yes | 0/6 | |
| Requiring blood transfusions | ||
| No | 7/30 | 0.2101 |
| Yes | 7/15 | |
| Number of APC | ||
| 1 | 11/33 | 0.8651 |
| ≥ 2 | 3/12 | |
| Age, yr | ||
| < 60 | 8/22 | 0.4572 |
| ≥ 60 | 6/23 | |
| BMI at the first treatment of APC, kg/m2 | ||
| < 21 | 7/21 | 0.7632 |
| ≥ 21 | 7/24 | |
| Time from the end of radiotherapy to bleeding, mo | ||
| < 8 | 6/17 | 0.6372 |
| ≥ 8 | 8/28 | |
| Time from the end of radiotherapy to the first time of APC, mo | ||
| < 14 | 8/23 | 0.5862 |
| ≥ 14 | 6/22 |
1
Data were calculated using continuity correction;
2
Data were calculated using the χ2 test;
3
Data were calculated using the Fisher exact test.
APC: Argon plasma coagulation; CRP: Chronic radiation proctitis; BMI: Body mass index.